Citation Nr: 21002634 Decision Date: 01/14/21 Archive Date: 01/14/21 DOCKET NO. 12-04 037 DATE: January 14, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for residuals, status post (s/p) lesion repair right shoulder (major) to include osteoarthritis is remanded. Entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for residuals, s/p arthroscopic repair left shoulder (minor) to include osteoarthritis is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran had active service from July 1993 to April 1997 and May 1998 to February 2002. These matters come before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a December 2010 rating decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Salt Lake City, Utah. This claim was most recently remanded for additional development in November 2019. During his November 2020 Board hearing testimony, the Veteran raised a claim of entitlement to an earlier effective date for service connection for his right shoulder disability. As that claim has not been developed for appellate review, the Board refers it to the RO for appropriate action. Regrettably, another remand is necessary. In testimony during a November 2020 Board hearing, the Veteran reported constant shoulder pain with very limited range of motion that ultimately caused him to leave his job. The Veteran acknowledged he applied for Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits, based in part on his bilateral shoulder pain, but indicated said application was denied because he has been retired less than one year. Following a thorough review of the claims file, the Board is unable to identify any records from the SSA. Additional development is required as these records may contain potentially relevant evidence, and if available, they should be obtained to ensure that the Veteran’s claims file is complete prior to any decisions being rendered in the above noted claims. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: Obtain and associate with the claims folder the SSA records pertaining to the Veteran's claim for benefits, to include any determinations and the medical records used in support of his claim. All attempts to obtain these records should be documented in the claims folder. Efforts to obtain the requested records should be ended only if it is concluded that the records sought do not exist or that further efforts to obtain those records would be futile. If they cannot be located or no such records exist, the Veteran should be notified in writing. A. C. MACKENZIE Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board B. Banks, Associate Counsel The Board’s decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.